1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to computer-to-computer session/connection, such as for a client computer to connect to the Internet. The invention further relates to controlling access by a client computer to resources on the network.
2. Description of Related Art
There are a number of types of online service providers (OSPs), some of which serve the general public and others of which serve a limited class of individuals. OSPs typically provide Internet access, and are therefore sometimes referred to as ISPs. An OSP, as used herein, is an organization which contracts for the provision of access to a data network to end-users. Some OSPs charge a fee for subscriptions to their online services. These fees typically are in the form of a sign-up fee, and fixed and/or incremental online charges. Some OSPs provide services for free or at a discount, and offset their costs through advertising or otherwise. As used herein, an OSP is an entity having a direct relationship with a user, characterized in that the OSP maintains an account for the user.
Some OSPs own, manage and/or control points of presence (POPs) in phone company central offices (COs) for their online services. As such, these OSPs are considered to have proprietary back end networks. These OSPs purchase or lease their POPs, and have contracts with the phone companies for providing phone numbers and service for connecting their POPs to the public switches. These OSPs also contract to connect their POPs to the data network, if necessary.
Some OSPs utilize the POPs of other companies. These other companies will be referred to herein as back end providers (BEPs). In contrast to an OSP, a BEP has no contractual relationship with the end users, nor do the BEPs maintain accounts for the end users. Rather, the BEPs provide a switching fabric from COs to the data network, and simply satisfy or deny a user's request for a back end connection to the data network at the discretion of the respective OSP. BEPs can obtain economies of scale and volume by providing back end services to many OSPs. The BEPs purchase or lease their POPs, and have contracts with the phone companies for providing network access numbers and service for connecting their POPs to the public switches. The BEPs also contract to connect their POPs to the data network, if necessary. There is yet another contract between the OSP and the BEP, under which the OSP pays for the usage of the BEP's switching fabric.
The typical topology for network access may be extended to national and international proportions. In practice there are hundreds of COs owned by a variety of telecom companies, each with an array of POPs and numerous network access numbers. Users prefer a front end which is low in cost. OSPs which provide national or international online services therefore strive to make available network access numbers for their users which will allow the users to obtain low cost front ends. Although toll-free numbers are sometimes provided, this type of phone company service is uneconomical for extended usage of online services.
In typical systems, the client device will have a list of network access numbers (a “NAN list”). For a dial-up connection in the United States and Canada, the NAN is a phone number in the form (NPA) NXX-xxxx, where NPA is the area code, NXX is the local exchange, and xxxx identifies the last four digits of the phone number. The client device sequentially attempts to utilize each NAN in the NAN list to obtain a connection to the data network until successful. The users typically control the NAN list, and select NANs from a master list from the OSP. The OSP generally has no role in the selection of NANs aside from provision of the master list.
The number, distribution and service needs of users, plus the number and distribution and service capabilities of COs, BEPs, their POPs and connections results in considerable variations in cost and quality for front ends and back ends. The quality of a front end using a particular network access number often varies depending on many factors, such as the brand and model of dial-up modem being used, the phone company lines being used, temporary hardware or software problems experienced by the BEP, etc. The quality of a back end from a particular POP often varies depending on many factors, such as the brand and model of the BEP's equipment, the central office equipment, temporary hardware or software problems experienced by the BEP and the CO, capacity, loads, etc.
Users may experience problems in connecting to the data network, such as busy signals, failure to connect and dropped connections. An individual user has no reasonable means available to determine which of the available NANs is the most effective in terms of quality of connection. Instead, users typically have to learn through experience. Yet, changing conditions limits the value of any individual user's experience. Thus, users typically initially include in their NAN lists all NANs from their OSP which are local, and eliminate those which are especially bad.
Likewise, OSPs typically apply little or no control of what network access numbers their users select and use. At best, OSPs generally control their users' choice of NANs in an unsophisticated and manual fashion—they enter into a contract with a BEP and make the BEP's NANs available to their users.